News-Miner Editorial
Making a mark
Fan chatter shows Grizzlies football is taking root
Published Monday, March 24, 2008
It’s good entertainment. And it’s made even better when the hometown team comes out on top.
That sums up Saturday night’s first win by the new Fairbanks Grizzlies in their inaugural season with the Intense Football League. Fairbanks downed the Odessa Roughnecks 22-17 for the first mark in the win column in front of about 3,500 fans at the Carlson Center. The win puts the team’s inaugural-season record at 1-2.
The team has shown great improvement since the calamity of the opening-day shellacking by the Alaska Wild, And the progress is due to hard work of the players and coaching staff. No question about it.
But, as is the norm in sports, the criticisms and critiques are still coming in — not only of the team, but of the organiation and the dance squad that is part of the game-night entertainment package.
The tough comments, just like the team, seem to be a new thing for Fairbanks — at this level, anyway. People are usually a little more reserved when talking about the performance of local high school and college sports. Not so, however, when the subject is a team of paid athletes.
Take the reaction to a comment by Grizzlies coach John Fourcade. The coach, since his public introduction earlier this month, has been getting hammered for his statement of football philosophy: “I have a motto: ‘Win at all costs. Cheat if you must. And don’t get caught.’ It’s worked a lot.”
Harsh comments about that remark, and about other aspects of the Grizzlies, have been tossed about on the Daily News-Miner’s Web site for a couple of weeks now.
“I’ve coached for over 29 years in the Fairbanks area,” goes one recent comment. “Been on numerous championship teams in wrestling as well as football. We always teach hard, honest work will make you a champion. What’s up with ‘cheat to win just don’t get caught?’”
The team may have its online detractors, but has its defenders, too.
“I think Fourcade has done a great job of hiring talent and coaching. ... it’s entertainment. Actually, good entertainment. You don’t like it, don’t go.”
What does all the attention, positive and negative, mean? It means that — love ’em, like ’em, or find ’em just plain silly — the Grizzlies are proving to be a good addition to Fairbanks. The first “W” of the season makes it even better.
Comments
it is great for fairbanks. our families and youth need as much as possible to attend. its good for our local men and women to be able to continue something they love and to play in front of their hometown. who would ever think this would ever happen in fairbanks
It's super for Fairbanks! I would personally like to thank Mr. Dittman for bringing it to our little town, and hope that anyone running into him out and about will as well. Excellent fun, and very well done with the loud music and the contests and extras during the game. My family is looking forward to the rest of the season!
it did happen in fairbanks before, the gold kings.
hey! i saw a lot of teens at the game last saturday. i can think of a lot worse places for teens to hang out on a saturday night. this IS good for the community in a number of ways.
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